CUTLERIES

Any sophisticated diner wants to be familiar with the tools that may or may not be offered to them at the table. Knowing them by sight will be very useful, but it's also important to know why they offer you that specific knife for your purposes.

FORK

1. Dinner fork

The dinner fork measures about 7 inches in length. It is used to eat the main course at all formal and informal meals. The larger continental-size dinner fork balances the profusion of tableware laid on a fully appointed formal table, and although the length is not necessary in formal dining, those who own the continental size use it for posh events. The American-size dinner fork, or place size, is approximately ½ inch shorter than continental size, a length that balances a table set to serve a few courses, namely, the informal table setting, from elegant to casual.

2. Fish fork

The fish fork is approximately 7¼ to 7¾ inches in length and is used in formal and informal dining. To provide leverage in separating fish from the body, the fish fork features an extra wide left tine, and an optional notch, grooved to fit over the bones.

3. Lobster fork

The lobster fork is approximately 6¾ to 8 inches long. It is made with one long narrow tine that ends with two hooks or with a long, narrow centre tine and two hooked tines on either side; both shapes are used to spear lobster served in a shell. Because the lobster shell is steadied in the hand and the lobster fork is held in the other hand, the utensil is used only in informal dining. At a formal dinner or luncheon, only dry rolls, cheese, crackers, and sometimes fresh fruit are touched with the fingers.

4. Fruit fork

The fruit fork is made with narrow tines and a long slender handle; it is approxi­mately 6¼ inches in overall length. Although the fruit fork is used in formal and informal dining, Americans tend to eat cut fruit with fingers, and the fruit fork is used more often in Europe than in the United States.

5. Salad fork

The tines of salad forks are flatter and slightly broader than those of a dinner fork, and the utensil is approximately 6 inches long. To provide leverage when cutting thick veins of lettuce or broad vegetables served in salad, the salad fork is made with an extra wide left tine that is sometimes grooved. For additional strength, the second and third tines of the salad fork are occasionally connected by a rod. The salad fork is used in formal and informal dining. It is also used for appetizer courses other than seafood, such as pate.

6. Dessert fork

The dessert fork is a specialized fork ap­proximately 6 to 7 inches in length, that looks similar to a salad fork, only a little narrower. It is not made as part of a flatware set. The left tine is extra wide to provide leverage in cutting firm dessert, such as baklava. The dessert fork is used in formal and informal dining.

7. Pastry fork

The pastry fork evolved about 1880. It looks similar to a salad fork, but it is narrower and slightly shorter, approximately 5 to 5½ inches long. To provide leverage in cutting, the left tine is often notched. The pastry fork is used in informal dining, although it is not essential; it is not used in formal dining where two dessert utensils are presented.

8. Seafood fork

The seafood fork made with short tines and a long handle; it is approximately 4½ to 5½ inches in overall length. The purpose of a seafood fork is to spear seafood served in a compote or a shell, such as shrimp cocktail or coquille St. Jacques. Sometimes the tines of the seafood fork rest in the bowl of the soup spoon and the handle is angled to the right, a placement easy for the diner to grasp. At an informal meal, the seafood fork is used as needed.

9. Oyster fork

The oyster fork is a small utensil made with three short wide curved tines, approximately 4 inches in overall length. The left tine is extra wide to assist in cutting the membrane that connects the oyster to the shell. The oyster fork is used only in informal dining. The shell is steadied with the fingers of one hand and the utensil is held in the other hand to extract the meat. Oyster forks are not used in formal dining.

10. Luncheon fork

The luncheon fork is approximately 6¾ inches long, a size in proportion with a luncheon plate, and found more often in older sets of flatware.

SPOON

1. Dessert spoon

The dessert spoon lies midway in length between the tablespoon and teaspoon, approximately 7 to 7¼ inches long. The shape of the bowl is oval and holds approximately two teaspoons of food, a size that affords a generous bite. The dessert spoon is used in formal and informal dining.

2. Place spoon

The place spoon is an all-purpose spoon slightly larger than a teaspoon but smaller than a tablespoon, a utensil used originally to sip cream soup and eat dessert. The shape of the bowl is oval, and the length is approximately 6½ to 7½ inches.

3. Cream soup spoon

The cream soup spoon is approximately 6 inches long. It is made with a round bowl to fit the shape of the cream soup bowl. To reach into the depth of the cream soup bowl, the cream soup spoon is made with a longer handle than a teaspoon. Because the bowl of the cream soup spoon is too wide to fit the mouth, pureed soup is sipped from the side of the spoon. At a formal dinner the cream soup spoon is not used, because cream soup is considered too rich and heavy to start a multi-course meal. 

4. Teaspoon

The average teaspoon measures approximately 5½ to 6¼ inches in length. The teaspoon is used only in informal dining to stir hot beverages, sip soup, and eat solid food, and it is the wise host who collects extras.

5. Ice-cream spoon

The ice-cream spoon, also known as an ice-cream scoop looks like a miniature shovel. It is approximately 5 inches in length and made with a wide shallow bowl to afford a generous bite. The ice-cream spoon is used at informal meals only to eat frozen dessert served on a plate, such as ice-cream roll. In formal dining, two dessert utensils are presented and the ice-cream spoon is not used.

6. Citrus spoon

The overall length is approximately 5½  to 6½ inches. The citrus spoon is made with a plain or serrated edge. The plain edge is used to eat fruit with presectioned segments, such as a grapefruit half. The serrated edge is used to eat citrus fruit with segments still attached.

7. Bouillon spoon

The bouillon spoon looks like a cream soup spoon, only the bowl is smaller and the handle is shorter; it is approximately 5 to 5 ½ inches long. The bouillon spoon is used at light meals, such as formal and informal luncheons, when clear or jellied soup is served as a first course. However, at a multi-course dinner, notably a formal dinner, bouillon is considered too light to start a meal where numerous wines are served, and a bouillon spoon is not used. Furthermore, at an informal dinner composed of a few hearty courses, bouillon is not normally served because the broth is not substantial enough to begin the simple menu.

8. Coffee spoon

The after-dinner coffee spoon is approximately 4½ to 5 inches long, a length that balances the after-dinner coffee cup. It is used only for informal dining. At a multi-course meal, notably, an informal dinner or luncheon, a small cup of strong coffee is served after the meal to aid digestion, and after-dinner coffee spoons are used. 

9. Demitasse spoon

The demitasse spoon, also known as a mocha spoon (to stir coffee made with an equal amount of hot chocolate), is approximately 3¾ to 4½ inches long, in proportion with the demitasse cup and saucer used in formal dining. At a formal dinner or formal luncheon, coffee is served in a demitasse cup, and a demitasse spoon is used if sugar is added.

10. Salt spoon

Today salt cellars are reserved almost totally for formal dinners or elegant informal affairs, but when provided, a salt spoon is placed in a salt cellar before and after use.

KNIVES

Knives are made in a host of shapes, some with serrated blades, others with dull edges and pointed or rounded tips.

• Knives with serrated blades, such as steak knives, cut meat.
• Knives with dull blades, such as dinner knives, luncheon knives, and dessert knives, cut soft or cooked food.
• Knives with pointed tips, such as a steak knives, fruit knives, and fish knives, carve meat, pare fruit, and separate fish bones.
• Knives with blunt ends, such as butter spreaders, spread food.

1. Dinner knife

The dinner knife is the longest knife in a set of flatware. It is used to cut and push food and is laid on the table at all meals, formal and informal. The exception is when soup is served as the main course, and a dinner knife is not required. The dinner knife is made in two sizes: place size and continental size.

• The place size measures around 9¼ inches in length.
• The continental size is about 9¾ inches long.

2. Steak knife

The steak knife is a specialized knife not made as part of a set of flatware. It is approximately 8¼ to 9 inches long and has a sharp tip and a serrated edge to cut thick portions of meat. At a formal meal, a steak knife is not provided if meat is served roasted, which is easily cut with a regular dinner knife.

3. Luncheon knife

The luncheon knife is 8 to 8¾ inches long, a size that balances the proportions of the luncheon plate, which is 8½ inches in diameter. Although the luncheon knife is used at formal and informal luncheons, it is not mandatory for either occasion. Today, luncheon knives are not commonly used and the dinner knife is normally used at the midday meal.

4. Fish knife

Fish knives vary in size but usually measure about 8¾ inches long. The fish knife is a specialized shape not included as part of a flatware set. The fish knife features a wide blade with a dull edge and a tip made with a notched point used to separate the skeleton from the body and lift the bones onto a plate. They are used in both formal and informal dining.

5. Dessert knife

The dessert knife measures approximately 8 inches long and features a narrow blade and a rounded or pointed tip. The rounded tip is used to section soft desserts, and the pointed tip to cut hard desserts. The dessert knife is a specialized utensil not made as part of a flatware set. It is used in formal and informal dining with a dessert fork.

6. Fruit knife

The fruit knife is used to cut and peel fresh fruit at the table in formal and informal dining. The fruit knife is approximately 6½ inches to 7¼ inches long. It is a specialized utensil not made as part of a flatware set. The fruit knife features a pointed tip and a narrow blade that is straight or slightly curved. Sometimes the edge of the blade is serrated.

7. Butter spreader

The butter spreader is approximately 5 to 6 inches long. It is the smallest knife in a set of flatware. The tip of the blade is rounded and some are slightly wider at the tip. The butter spreader is used differently in formal and informal dining. At a formal dinner given in a private home where strict protocol is followed, the multiplicity of courses provides sufficient taste and texture without the need for bread and butter, and a butter spreader is not used. However, at formal luncheons and informal meals, fewer courses are served, bread and butter are provided, and a butter spreader is used.